If you’re looking for a flexible and easy way to make some extra money, driving for Uber seems like an awfully good option. After all, you can make your own hours, be your own boss, meet new people, and even get discounts on job-related everyday expenses like auto parts, phone service and fuel. Unfortunately, not everybody is eligible to drive or the company. You have to be at least 21 years old. You need to have been a licensed driver for at least a year. You have to have a 4-door car that’s insured. And most importantly, you can’t have had a DUI charge against you for at least seven years.

Though you may think it unfair that something you’ve done years ago might keep you from a good job, if you think about it from the company’s perspective, Uber’s job requirements make a great deal of sense. DUI is a crime that is universally viewed with a critical eye: the company puts its reputation and its legal responsibility on the line every time a rideshare driver takes a customer for a ride, so the idea of risking all that on a driver with a DUI history would leave them extremely vulnerable to legal action.

If you are already driving for Uber and you are charged with driving under the influence, there’s a good chance that you’re going to lose your job unless you are cleared of the charges, and if you already have a DUI on your record then you are unlikely to qualify for a position with the company until at least ten years have passed – that’s how far back the company’s driving record reviews tend to extend, and the same is true for Lyft, the other popular rideshare company.

If you have been charged with driving under the influence but were never convicted, and you don’t have a record of reckless driving with alcohol involved, you stand a better chance of getting a job. However, if the charges were dropped but you were found neither guilty or not guilty, there’s a good chance that the original inquiry is still on your driving record and will work against you.

Being convicted of DUI can have repercussions that stay with you for a long, long time, and can have a significant impact on your future earnings capacity. To get help avoiding these dire consequences, speak to our DUI law professionals, who have the experience and knowledge you need to help you get past your challenges. Call us today to set up a consultation.

It could help. Expunging your DUI means the court retroactively dismisses the case. Normally, this allows you to get jobs without the DUI counting against you because it is no longer part of your criminal record for this purpose. But the DUI remains on your driving record from the DMV, and Uber and Lyft look at this record to evaluate your driving history. This means that they will still see the DUI and they may consider it when hiring you.

The real answer with expunging a DUI is, “It doesn’t hurt, and it might help.” Expunging your DUI will definitely help with non-driver jobs, school applications, and in many other circumstances, so it may be worth pursuing even though it doesn’t guarantee you can drive for a ridesharing service.

How do I fight my DUI charge?

The best thing you can do is speak to a DUI lawyer. Your lawyer may be able to challenge key evidence against you, or even the arrest itself. In many cases, a DUI lawyer can win a case outright or get it reduced to a much less serious charge.